Taping machine

ABSTRACT

A machine for applying a wide range of pressure sensitive adhesive transfer tapes to virtually any surface of virtually any size.

[4 1 July 1, 1975 United States Patent [1 1 Griebat TAPING MACHINE2,776,068 l/l957 3,181,988 5/l965 I r e g n 22 Filed: June 21, 1973App]. No.: 372,265 Primary Examiner-Clifton B. Cosby AssistantExaminer-John E. Kittie .F e m ecl r r ww s y mn Pa f M a wsu T m C r wA 60 dt m m 8 3D- B Em A .mr l im a r. rt 6 aw S .mm md 33 7 me 5 W. IIt 5 5 3 35 W63 5 20 59 ;M34 5 91 B4BO9M 51.500 3 434 6 0 5/ 5 1]. 44 l36 3 5 3 5 B 2 6 0 353U6B 6 3 imi 1 6 wZ 4 "3J mum m 2 m DhWfi WSMRQJ wiw 55 .I 1MB C l 6 WM k U .mF 2 8 5 55 i (fl.

virtually any size.

I 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Claims, 5 Drawing FiguresTAPING MAcniNis BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The mechanized applicationof adhesive material to surfaces has in recent years had manyappiications in the advertising, printing and packaging industries. Theadhesive tape used may either be single or double, i.e., may either haveadhesive coating one side only or coating both sides with a backingstrip protecting the outer side until the tape is utilized. Thenon-tacky outer sur face of the backing strip permits pre-sticking ofthe backed tape on the sheet material on which the tape is used. Thesheet material may then be stacked for storage purposes. When the sheetmaterial is ready to be used, the backing material is removed therefrom,the sheet material is positioned properly, and pressure is appliedthereto. Tape applying machines in accordance with the present inventionmay be used to apply a wide range of pressure sensitive tapes in anylength in virtually any width to virtually any sized surface Themachinery heretofore used to apply pressure sensitive tape has oftenbeen prohibitively expensive, frequently so expensive that individualprinting companies often were forced to subcontract the work to be done.This caused an increase in the shipping costs, as well as considerabletime delays. Thus, a need has long existed in the art for a tapeapplying machine which is both inexpensive to purchase and to use.

One attempt to solve this particular problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 3,181,988 to Engert. In Engert, tape is applied to sheet material bythe utilization of a rather complicated, and costly, mechanical device.The machine disclosed in Engert has a number of disadvantages. TheEngert machine has many moving parts which entail both large productioncosts and large servicing costs. The entire Engert machine is connectedto the power source, which drives a common drive shaft on which all theother mechanical operations of the machine depend. The high cost ofproduction of such a machine necessitated by the largely mechanicalnature of its operation has made it prohibitively expensive for manysmall printers to purchase. Its largeiy mechan ical operation hasoccasioned frequent breakdowns and repairs. The fact that a common driveshaft was used, on which all of the somewhat complex mechanicaloperations were dependent, made it necessary to purchase not only thetape applying part of the machine, but the powering apparatus thereforas well.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Use of the present invention serves to minimizethe problems associated with the prior art. No common drive shaft usedwith the present invention, the power for the taping operation beingsupplied by the sheet feeding means, which is separate and apart fromthe tape applying machine. The user, therefore, need not pay forunnecessary mechanical operations. Tape applying machines in accordancewith the present invention, thus, are much cheaper to produce. The factthat no complex mechanical operations need be performed by the componentparts of the present invention permils it to be produced at a lowercost. Furthermore, its operation is smooth and automatic. An associatedad vantage is the fact that, since no common drive shaft is used forlaminating. units in accordance with the present invention may be simplyplaced on and used in conjunction with a conveyor for the materials towhich adhesive is to be applied,

An even greater advantage over the prior art is the fact that thelaminating roller itself raises and lowers during the applyingoperation. Therefore, very thick objects may be passed through the tapeapplying ma' chine for application, whereas with the Engert machine onlyrelatively thin sheets of material could be lami nated. Since thelaminating roller of the present invention is not driven by a commondrive shaft, but moves up and down during the laminating operation,objects of considerable thickness may have tape applied to them.

A further disadvantage associated with Engert made less troublesome byuse of the present invention is the fact that, while in Engert apositive pulling force ex erted by the applying head was used to pullthe tape off the roll, machines in accordance with the present inventionmerely pivot the tape downward. Any positive pulling function isaccomplished by the paper being transported forward under the laminatingroller and pulling the tape along with it. The tape applying headitself, however, does not positively pull the tape off its spool. Thisfact permits the use of a tape applying head which need not bepainstakingly manufactured, nor need it be of a complicated or expensivedesign to make it possible for the tape applying head to achieve agripping function in order to pull the tape off its spool.

Other features and advantages are inherent in the present invention asdisclosed and claimed, or will become apparent to those skilled in theart from the fol lowing detailed description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of atable and control panel for use with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectionai view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1 of apreferred embodiment of a machine in ac cordance with the presentinvention showing pressure sensitive transfer tape being applied to asheet like surface;

FIG. 3 is an end view of a machine in accordance with the presentinvention, showing the tape support system, the solenoid, and the springactuated secondary laminating roller;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of a machine inaccordance with the present invention showing the reciprocating pivotingaction of the tape applying and severing mechanism; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of an alternative embodiment of the presentinvention showing an alternative reciprocating action of the tapeapplying and severing mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. I, whichis perspective view of a tape applying machine mounted on a controlpanel ta ble, indicated generally at 15, a spool of tape 55 rests and issupported by rollers inside cover plate 65. Solenoid 26 is mountedwithin cover plate 65 and protrudes therefrom. Cover plate 65 issupported by crossbar 67 mounted above control panel table 15. Sheet 10enters the tape applying machine in the direction indicated by arrow B.If two strips of tape are to be applied to sheet 10, then two tapeapplying units are utilized, as shown in FIG. 1. Control box 17 is alsomounted on control panel table [5.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, a sheet 10 to be laminated enters the tapeapplicator, shown generally at 12, and moves from the right to the lefton conveyor l3, as shown by arrow A. Conveyor I3 is actuated and poweredby a conveyor band 14 driven by two conveyor power rollers l6. 16'. Itshould be emphasized, however, that the conveyor is driven and poweredcompletely separately from the tape applying machine, and although usedin conjunction with the tape applying machine is not, per se, a part ofit.

As sheet 10 enters the present invention, it is seized by an entryroller 18 which holds the sheet down and helps to move it smoothlyforward.

Entry roller 18 is held firmly in contact with sheet H) by means ofspring tension provided by an entry roller spring 20 and its supportingspring block mechanism 22. When the leading edge 11 of sheet [0 passes asynchronous sensing means 24, located between conveyor power rollers I6,16', the solenoid 26 is actuated upwardly to bring the laminating head28 in contact with the surface of sheet 10 and at the same time to moveknife blade 30 reciprocally upwardly away from the surface of theconveyor. When the trailing edge 11a of sheet 10 passes synchronoussensing means 24, solenoids 26 is actuated in the opposite direction.Synchronous sensing means 24 may be a photoelectric cell, a microswitchor other suitable time delay device.

Laminating head 28 is attached by means of laminating head shaft to theterminal portion of roller arm 32, the other end 34 of which pivotsabout roller arm pivot shaft 36. Between laminating head shaft 35 androller arm pivot shaft 36 a connecting link 38 is attached to roller arm32 by means of connecting link shaft 40. To the opposite end ofconnecting link 38 a knife arm 42 is attached by means of connectingshaft 44, the opposite end of knife arm 42 having knife blade 30projecting downwardly therefrom. A connecting rod 46 is attached to thelower edge of knife arm 42 by means of knife arm shaft 48. Between knifearm shaft 48 and connecting link shaft 44 is knife arm pivot shaft 50,about which knife arm 42 pivots.

Connecting rod 46 is attached on its upward end to solenoid mountingblock 51, which is actuated by dou' ble action spring return solenoid26, by solenoid connecting shaft 52. Thus, when sheet 10 passes sensingdevice 24, solenoid 26 is actuated upwardly thereby moving connectingrod 46 in an upward direction. This upward motion of connecting rod 46pivots knife arm 42 about knife arm pivot shaft 50 pulling knife blade30 also in an upward direction away from the surface of conveyor 13. Asthe knife end 43 of knife arm 42 swings upwardly, its other end 4]pivots reciprocally downwardly. pushing connecting link 38 downwardly aswell. When connecting link 38 is pushed down wardly, roller arm 32,which pivots about roller arm pivot shaft 36 of necessity is pusheddownwardly until laminating head 28 is in contact with the surface ofsheet 10. This is the point at which tape 54 is applied to the surfaceof sheet 10.

The tape 54, which is threaded through the tape guide chute 56 disposedon the under side of roller arm 32, is threaded over friction reducingroller 58 which serves to prevent tape 54 from hanging down and foulingthe mechanism. Tape spool 55 rests on several tape spool support rollers60, which are suspended above the other moving parts of the presentinvention and turn as tape is dispensed from spool 55. When doubleaction solenoid 26 actuates upwardly, thereby bringing laminating head28 into tape applying position as is shown in FIG. 2, tension is appliedto lower solenoid return spring 62 which serves the function ofreturning solenoid 26 to its original position. After a leading edge I]of tape 54 has been applied to sheet 10 by laminating head 28, sheet 10continues along conveyor 13 and passes under tape guide bar 64 whichholds tape 54 in contact with the surface of sheet [0. Sheet 10 and thelaminated tape 54 applied thereto then pass along conveyor 13 betweenlaminating roller 66 and conveyor power roller 16', thus firmlylaminating the pressure sensitive tape to the surface of the sheet.Laminating roller 66 is held firmly in contact with the surface of sheet10 by means of springs 68, 68 on either side and their associated springblock mechanism 69. Solenoid 26 is mounted to cover plate 65 of themachine by means of solenoid mounting block 27. Cover plate 65 ismounted to crossbar 67, as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, which shows an end view of a tape applying machine,cover plate 65 is supported by crossbar 67. Mounted within cover plate65 are tape spool support rollers 60 mounted on tape spool supportroller shafts 59. Resting on tape spool support roller 60 is tape spool55. Spool guides 53, 53' keep spool 55 and tape 54 in proper positionwhile being dispensed. Solenoid 26 is mounted on solenoid mounting block27. Beneath solenoid 26 is laminating roller 66 urged into intimatecontact with conveyor 13 by coil springs 68, 68' and their supportingcoil spring block mechanism 69.

Referring now to FIG. 4, which shows the details of the reciprocatingtape applying and cutting mechanism, knife blade 30 is shown in solidlines cutting tape 54 with laminating head 28 in retracted position. Thephantom lines show the respective positions of knife blade 30 andlaminating head 28 in the tape applying positions. Thus, objects ofconsiderable thickness may have pressure sensitive tape applied to theirsurfaces merely by increasing the distance between entry roller 18 andlaminating roller 66, and the surface of conveyor 13. This may be donequite easily since both the machine and conveyor system areindependently powered and operated. lt is also apparent that neitherlaminating head 28 nor tape guide chute 56 exerts any pinching force ontape 54, the pulling of the tape being done by conveyor 13 as sheet 10and laminating tape 54 pass between laminating roller 66 and conveyorpower roller 16'.

Referring now to FIG. 5, which shows an alternative embodiment of thepresent invention, the leading edge of the tape is placed directly intonip 70 of the laminating roller 72 by tape guide chute 74. This is donewhen a double action air cylinder 76 actuates into a retracted position.lt is contemplated that other types of fluidic cylinders or solenoidsmay be used as well. The phantom lines in FIG. 5 show the machine intape cutting position with piston 77 of cylinder 76 in extendedposition. After the leading edge of tape 78 has been placed directlyinto nip 70 of laminating roller 72 by tape guide chute 74. sheet 80 andtape 78 move between laminating roller 72 and conveyor power roller 81',squeezing tape 78 into intimate contact with the surface of sheet 80.When the surface of sheet 80 has passed synchronous sensing means 24a,cylinder 76 actuates moving piston 77 from retracted position toextended position. Knife arm 82, connected at end 84 to supporting arm86 by supporting arm shaft 87, then is caused to pivot about pivot shaft88 downwardly. Once the sheet has passed between entry roller 71 andconveyor power roller 81 after having passed synchronous sensing means24a, the cylinder retracts by air and knife arm return spring 94 returnsair cylinder piston 77 to its retracted position. When this occurs,knife arm 82 is pivoted about pivot shaft 88 pulling knife blade 90upwardly away from the surface of sheet 80. The retraction of piston 77,in addition to causing the pivoting of knife arm 82 about pivot shaft88, also pulls support bar 92 downwardly until tape guide chute 74 hasplaced the leading edge of the tape into nip 70 of laminating roller 72.Support bar 92 pivots about support bar pivot shaft 98. Support barreturn spring 100 exerts a downward force on the end of support bar 92to move in an upwardly direction. This motion removes tape guide chute74 from nip 70 of laminating roller 72 and aids cylinder 76 in attainingthe extended position of piston 77. Cover plate 102 is supported bytransverse mounting bar 96.

Roller bracket 73 presses entry roller 71 and laminating roller 72firmly into contact with sheet 78 by means of yoke 79 actuated by coilspring 83. When an object having substantial thickness passes throughnip 70 of entry roller 71 and conveyor 75, yoke 79 which is attached toroller bracket 73 by shaft 91 pivots about yoke pivot shaft 85 flexingcoil spring 83. When the thick object has passed through the tapeapplying machine coil spring 83 contracts and yoke 79 pivots about pivotshaft 85 to exert a downward force on roller bracket 73 and thereby toplace entry roller 71 and laminating roller 72 firmly in contact withthe conveyor. When this has occurred, the back edge of the sheetlaminated passes synchronous sensing means 240, cylinder 76 is actuatedinto extended position, and knife blade 90 severs tape 78.

The moving parts of a taping machine in accordance with the presentinvention are made of metal, although high density polyethylene may beused for parts not involving much wear.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom as modifcations will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. A machine for applying a predetermined length of transfer tape to anobject surface, said machine comprising:

conveying means for conveying said object to which tape is to be appliedto a surface;

synchronous sensing means for sensing the presence of said object towhich tape is to be applied;

a laminating head disposable adjacent said object;

a roller arm having said laminating head disposed at a first end thereofincluding means for pivotally mounting the second end of said rollerarm;

a connecting link, said connecting link attached at a first end thereofto said roller arm between said means for pivotably mounting second endof said roller arm and said laminating head;

a knife arm including a pivot shaft;

means for pivotably mounting said knife arm about said knife arm pivotshaft;

means for connecting said second end of said connecting link to a firstend of said knife arm;

a knife blade projecting from the second end of said knife arm;

a tape guide chute mounted to the side of said roller arm for receivingsaid transfer tape and guiding same between said laminating head andsaid conveying means;

means for laminating said tape;

means in cooperation with said synchronous sensing means, for movingsaid knife arm away from the surface of said conveyor means and formoving said knife arm towards the surface of said conveyor means,whereby when said synchronous sensing means senses the presence of anobject to which tape is to be applied, said knife blade is moved awayfrom the surface of said conveyor means and said knife arm pivots aboutsaid knife arm pivot shaft moving said first end of said knife armtoward the surface of said conveyor means, moving said connecting linktoward the surface of said conveyor means and said roller arm in thesame direction therewith, until said laminating head having an end ofsaid roll of said transfer tape thereunder contacts the surface of saidobject to which transfer tape is to be applied moving on said conveyormeans to thereby apply said transfer tape.

2. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim I further including:

means for holding a spool of tape.

3. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said meansfor moving said knife arm comprises:

a solenoid;

a solenoid connecting rod;

a solenoid connecting block, said solenoid connecting block connectingsaid solenoid with a first end of said solenoid connecting rod andtransmitting its force thereto;

said second end of said solenoid connecting rod connected to said knifearm, including means responsive to actuation by said synchronous sensingmeans for moving said knife arm.

4. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said synchronous sensing means comprises a photo electric cell.

5. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidsynchronous sensing means comprises a microswitch.

6. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidlaminating head comprises a cylindrical roller.

7. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidlaminating means comprises a cylindrical roller mounted downstream fromsaid laminating head; and means for keeping said roller firmly incontact with said object.

i i l

1. A MACHINE FOR APPLYING A PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF TRANSFER TAPE TO AN OBJECT SURFACE, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING: CONVEYING MEANS FOR CONVEYING SAID OBJECT TO WHICH TAPE IS TO BE APPLIED TO A SURFACE, SYNCHRONOUS SENSING MEANS FOR SENSING THE PRESENCE OF SAID OBJECT TO WHICH TAPE IS TO BE APPLIED, A LAMINATING HEAD DISPOSABLE ADJACENT SAID OBJECT, A ROLLER ARM HAVING SAID LAMINATING HEAD DISPOSED AT A FIRST END THEREOF INCLUDING MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING THE SECOND END OF SAID ROLLER ARM, A CONNECTING LINK, SAID CONNECTING LINK ATTACHED AT A FIRST END THEREOF TO SAID ROLLER ARM BETWEEN SAID MEANS FOR PIVOTABLY MOUNTING SECOND END OF SAID ROLLER ARM AND SAID LAMINATING HEAD, A KNIFE ARM INCLUDING A PIVOT SHAFT, MEANS FOR PIVOTABLY MOUNTING SAID KNIFE ARM ABOUT SAID KNIFE ARM PIVOT SHAFT, MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID SECONE END OF SAID CONNECTING LINK TO A FIRST END OF SAID KNIFE ARM, A KNIFE BLADE PROJECTING FROM THE SECOND END OF SAID KNIFE ARM, A TAPE GUIDE CHUTE MOUNTED TO THE SIDE OF SAID ROLLER ARM FOR RECEIVING SAID TRANSFER TAPE AND GUIDING SAME BETWEEN SAID LAMINATING HEAD AND SAID CONVEYING MEANS, MEANS FOR LAMINATING SAID TAPE, MEANS, IN COOPERATING WITH SAID SYNCHRONOUS SENSING MEANS, FOR MOVING SAID KNIFE ARM AWAY FROM THE SURFACE OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND FOR MOVING SAID KNIFE ARM TOWARDS THE SURFACE OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS, WHEREBY WHEN SAID SYNCHRONOUS SENSING MEANS SENSES THE PRESENCE OF AN OBJECT TO WHICH TAPE IS TO BE APPLIED, SAID KNIFE BLADE IS MOVED AWAY FROM THE SURFACE OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND SAID KNIFE ARM PIVOTS ABOUT SAID KNIFE ARM PIVOT SHAFT MOVING SAID FIRST END OF SAID KNIFE ARM TOWARD THE SURFACE OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS, MOVING SAID CONNECTING LINK TOWARD THE SURFACE OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND SAID ROLLER ARM IN THE SAME DIRECTION THEREWITH, UNTIL SAID LAMINATING HEAD HAVING AN END OF SAID ROLL OF SAID TRANSFER TAPE THEREUNDER CONTACTS THE SURFACE OF SAID OBJECT TO WHICH TRANSFER TAPE IS TO BE APPLIED MOVING ON SAID CONVEYOR MEANS TO THEREBY APPLY SAID TRANSFER TAPE.
 2. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 further including: means for holding a spool of tape.
 3. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said knife arm comprises: a solenoid; a solenoid connecting rod; a solenoid connecting block, said solenoid connecting block connecting said solenoid with a first end of said solenoid connecting rod and transmitting its force thereto; said second end of said solenoid connecting rod connected to said knife arm, including means responsive to actuation by said synchronous sensing means for moving said knife arm.
 4. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said synchronous sensing means comprises a photo electric cell.
 5. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said synchronous sensing means comprises a microswitch.
 6. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said laminating head comprises a cylindrical roller.
 7. The tape applying machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said laminating means comprises a cylindrical roller moUnted downstream from said laminating head; and means for keeping said roller firmly in contact with said object. 